One of the most exciting moments in your music career is the first time you put your saxophone together, put the reed on, and start blasting out notes. Even if you haven’t had your first lesson yet, just playing some honks will make you feel like a music superstar. But sometimes all that joy can be replaced by frustration if you always squeak when you play.
On average, saxophones squeak due to misaligned or broken reeds not properly sealing against the mouthpiece. This misalignment makes the reed vibrate unevenly and not channel air properly into the chamber of the mouthpiece. Other reasons could be pinching the reed too much with the mouth or using a reed that is too hard.
Of course, that is just a few of many reasons that can cause squeaking while playing, let me break down some others to keep an eye…and ear out for.
Here are 13 reasons you might squeak when you play the saxophone:
- Reed Isn’t Properly Seated on the Mouthpiece
- Reed is Cracked
- Biting the Reed
- Reed is too Dry
- Mouthpiece is Chipped
- Mouth is Squeezing too Tight
- Reed is New
- Reed Might be too Hard
- Reed is Warped
- Reed is Warn Out
- Saxophone Could be Out of Alignment
- Neck Cork is Leaking
- Key Pads Need to be Replaced
Reed Isn’t Properly Seated on the Mouthpiece
Single reed instruments like the saxophone are designed to let a stream of air glide over the sharp end of a reed and through the bore of a mouthpiece. This air needs to be controlled so that the reed can properly vibrate and produce a tone.
One thing that can interrupt this controlled airflow is if the reed isn’t seated correctly on the mouthpiece. This will hinder the reed’s vibration and often produce no sound at all forcing the player to blow harder causing squeaks.
How Do You Fix It?
As a starting player, it’s important to set the reed on the mouthpiece the way the maker of the mouthpiece recommends. If there aren’t included instructions on this then have a worker at the music store help you out. If you bought from a store you’ve likely been allowed to try a few brands of saxes and have already played a little bit, make sure to also pay attention to how the employee put the reed on the mouthpiece.
It’s important to seat the reed in a way that makes playing sound as easy as you can. As you develop as a player you may find that having the reed slightly back from the tip of the mouthpiece works best for you…it does for me!
Reed is Cracked
Again, we have proper airflow to contend with. Reeds need to have a sharp, rounded edge for the air to glide over in order to get smooth and even vibration. A chipped reed is going to cause areas of the reed tip to be slightly thicker than others, causing them to vibrate slightly differently.
The chips are also going to interrupt the airflow and cause turbulence, so to speak. Both of these will cause squeaking and chirping when you play.
How Do You Fix It?
This one is easy…replace the reed. Sure, as you get more advanced you may end up with fancy files and reed clippers to make your reeds a little more custom to you and your playing style…but that’s a long way off. Just replace the reed.
Biting the Reed
Every new sax player…heck I still do it and I’ve been playing for over 30 years…will try stuff out. This usually includes biting the reed. You’ll notice two things:
- It causes a weird ticklish/licking a battery feeling on your bottom teeth
- It’ll make a high-pitched, irritating squeal/squeak…cool huh!
If you’re doing it on purpose while your practicing, preferably when no one is within hearing range, then go for it…have fun. It could damage your reed if you’re doing it for way too long, or biting way too hard, but every once in a while when you warming up and practicing there is no harm.
On the other hand, if you’re not doing it on purpose then it can really hinder your practice time and the practice time of your bandmates.
How Do You Fix It?
If you’re controlling the biting…just stop, easy enough. But if you’re having difficulties then there could be a few issues at play here.
You might be using too much jaw pressure to keep a tight embouchure (how you hold your mouth while playing.) Your embouchure should be controlled by your lip and cheek muscles, not your jaw.
Try playing long tones and drop your jaw (keep your lips around the mouthpiece, though.) This will make the sound go very out of tune and even wobbly sounding, but the point here is to learn to relax your jaw.
The mouthpiece may be slightly too big for you. Most beginner mouthpieces are going to be roughly the same size but it’s possible, especially if you are using a hand-me-down sax that the mouthpiece you’re using isn’t a beginner model. If you’re unsure take it into your local music shop and have an employee check it out.
Reed is Too Dry
Reeds need to vibrate at an even rate in order to produce a smooth tone. Wet reeds are more flexible and will vibrate more evenly than dry reeds.
It’s also important to mention that the reed should be wet evenly across the whole reed. This will help seal the reed against the back and sides of the mouthpiece to reduce air leakage and allow the reed to vibrate at an even rate.
How Do You Fix It?
Before you start playing make sure you give your reed a good soak in a cup of water. Ensure that the reed is completely submerged for several minutes before you start playing. Just before you put the reed on your mouthpiece, give it a little shake or quick wipe on a clean cloth to get excess water off the reed.
If you’re playing for an extended period of time, make sure you take a break and give your reed another soak. This is also a good opportunity to run your cleaning swab through your horn…it’ll help reduce that “spit” gurgle sound that may happen after a lot of play.
If you’re in the middle of a concert then you may not have time to let your reed soak. In these situations you can either take the reed off the mouthpiece and wet it in your mouth or…if you have even less time…give the reed a nice, slobbery lick.
Another option is to keep a few reeds in a cup of water (with a lid preferably) and swap them out over the course of your practice or performance. This can work well if you’re someone who rotates out their reeds.
Mouthpiece is Chipped
This will cause a similar situation to having a chipped reed. It will break up your breaths and make for uneven airflow which usually leads to chirps and squeaks.
While the mouthpiece doesn’t vibrate like a reed…at least not to the extent that the reed does…it does help control airflow with its rounded and beveled tip. This tip is already much thicker than the tip of a reed so any chips will cause flat areas along the bevel. These flat edges will create walls for your breath to hit against…this will also cause squeaks and a thinner, dull sound.
How Do You Fix It?
Unfortunately this one really only has one fix…you have to replace your mouthpiece.
Mouth is Squeezing Too Tight
Squeezing too tightly around the mouthpiece and reed will hinder the vibration of the reed and disrupt air flow into the mouthpiece chamber.
While biting the reed will always cause high-pitched squeaks and squeals, squeezing too tight may result in no sound at all…or a sound that is very muted and dull. This will likely make you blow harder and when you naturally relax your mouth muscles you’ll end up with sudden bursts of sound
How Do You Fix It?
As a new player, your natural instinct will be to tighten up your embouchure. Try relaxing your mouth muscles…if your face gets tired after only a few minutes of playing then you are squeezing too tight.
Beginners need to focus on an even and firm…but not tight…embouchure. As you develop your saxophone skills, you’ll start to notice that you will selectively loosen and tighten your mouth muscles (and other muscles too) in order to achieve the sound or effect you want. Think of it like balancing on one foot. As you stand there you will notice little muscles flexing and relaxing to help you maintain balance.
Reed is Brand New
A brand new reed can give you as much trouble as a chipped or cracked reed.
New players don’t always soak them long enough so you may end up with some wet and some dry areas of the reed which will lead to the reed not vibrating evenly. This uneven vibration can cause chirping and squeaks.
When you’re just starting off as a saxophone player you are likely playing on size 2 or 2.5 reeds. These softer reeds will play a lot easier than harder reeds…the trade-off is a less focussed, very bright sound, but that doesn’t matter too much for new players.
I bring up reed hardness because as you start to play more you’ll eventually transition to harder reeds. These harder reeds will sometimes need to be lightly sanded or clipped to play optimally when you first pull them out of the box.
Now, shaping reeds is an advanced technique so new players shouldn’t worry about this…I just want you to be aware that this could be a cause of squeaking.
How Do You Fix It?
Be sure you properly soak your new reed before you try to play on it.
If you’re transitioning to harder reeds, then ask your teacher to show you how to sand the back of the reeds…for this, a little goes a long way. Sanding is mainly to remove any burrs from the back of the reed so that it sits flatly against the mouthpiece.
Reed Might be Too Hard
This one can be a tough one…on the one hand, new players will eventually need to move on to a hard reed but on the other doing so can cause a lot of frustration that can greatly discourage a newer player.
I found that I play best on a size 3 reed…lightly sanded. I had a teacher back in college insist I move on to a 4. It was like playing on a 2×4…it was so difficult to get a sound out that when I finally did the notes would come blasting out at FFF and would be accompanied by squeaks and chirps.
Finally, after a few weeks of trying I had a little heart to heart with my prof and said I was going back to 3’s…he finally relented and dropped it.
Now, I only tell that story to encourage new players to at least try harder reeds but to stand your ground if it just isn’t working out for you. Ease of play isn’t just up to the reed hardness either, the mouthpiece and ligature can also be factors.
How Do You Fix It?
Just like when you get a new pair of eyeglasses, things might be a little wonky while you adjust. It’s the same for shifting to harder reeds. I strongly recommend giving it a solid try and, if possible, try the reed on different mouthpieces.
Also, try different brands of reeds. A Vandoren 2 may have played like a breeze, but the Vandoren 3’s might not be right for you so try a Rico, La Voz, or any other brand you can find until you come up with one you like. Some music stores will sell single reeds for the purpose of players being able to try several out without having to buy full boxes.
Make sure you soak the reeds adequately and make sure the back is free of loose wood fibers and burrs.
If you feel like a harder reed just isn’t working out and you’ve given it a fair shot you can try a half size. Many reed companies will do half sizes, like 2.5 or 3.5, so give that a try. If that still doesn’t work then go back to a softer reed for a little longer…there’s no shame in that.
Reed is Warped
If your reed isn’t evenly soaked then the tip will start to look like a “W”…this will almost guarantee squeaks and squawks as you play.
Sometimes it’s a fault in the manufacturing…even the best companies will occasionally make a dud. So be on the lookout for:
- Rails Are Even (These are the Sides of the Reed)
- No Blatant Discoloration
- The Tip Has an Even, Crescent Shape
- Make Sure the Cane Fibers are Fairly Strait and Even
- Ensure the Heart of the Reed is Centered
- No Gouges or Divots
How Do You Fix It
To get rid of excessive waviness and get the edge as flat as possible, make sure you properly soak your reeds before playing them. When you’re done playing, put them into a reed case that you slide them in tip first. Make sure there are either air holes or that the case has an open end so that the reed can dry and not mold.
If any of the other problems I mentioned above are present then replace the reed. If the rails are a little off, you can probably sand the high side flat…but then you’re changing the thickness of the reed too much which can lead to a sound you don’t like. Just replace the reed.
Reed is Warn Out
Saxophone reeds are a little like car tires…they’re going to wear out eventually. As you play you’ll be putting pressure on and taking pressure off the reed as you play which will weaken the fibers over time.
The space between the reeds fibers will also begin to break down from constant wetting and drying.
The tip of the reed will be dulled and will break down unevenly leading to tiny chips and cracks. This will ultimately lead to any number of the things I mentioned above…warping, chipping, cracking, and uneven texture. A perfect storm for squeaking.
How Do You Fix It
You shouldn’t drive on bald, warn tires…you shouldn’t play on dull, warn out reeds. It’s time to replace it.
Saxophone Could Be Out of Alignment
If your saxophone is out of alignment then you’re most likely not going to get any sound at all. But, if it’s just slightly tweaked this can cause air leaks in the joints of the sax. This will most likely cause “hissing” rather than squeaks…but it’s still worth having on your mind.
A well taken care of saxophone shouldn’t go out of alignment on its own…springs and pads are far more likely to wear out. But even the most careful players will have an accident. Back in college, I forgot to zip up my gig bag and when I threw it over my shoulder my sax came tumbling out onto the floor…shifting the lower stack just a few millimeters…not…a…sound would come out of my sax. This was two weeks before end-of-semester juries too!
So in my example I didn’t hear squeaks cause I didn’t hear anything at all.
How Do You Fix It?
This is for the pro at the music shop to take a look at. Get your sax into the shop ASAP and have it realigned. The technician will likely have to completely take your sax apart, re-glue the joints and put it all back together again, and hammer out any dents that may have also resulted…so don’t try to do it yourself.
Neck Cork is Leaking
Many new saxophone players will forget that the cork on the neck of their saxophone needs to have some cork grease applied to it. The cork grease will prevent the cork from drying out and cracking and will assist the mouthpiece to slide onto the cork easily.
If the neck cork ends up splitting and cracking you may end up with air leaking from the end of the mouthpiece. While you might not hear a distinctive squeak as you would with reed damage, you may hear a hissing sound…like air leaking from a car tire.
How Do You Fix It?
Any music store that sells musical instruments likely has repair technicians on staff. Just take your saxophone into your local shop and they can re-wrap the neck fork.
If you have some technical savvy you can replace your own neck cork, just be sure you don’t bend the connection points or the octave key.
Key Pads May Need Replacing
The neck of your saxophone isn’t the only place you could spring a leak. The pads on your saxophone keys will also wear out over time which can lead to odd sounds, including squeaks.
The main issues you’ll experience are either breaks in your sound…basically, as you apply and release small amounts of pressure on the key with the bad pad it’ll open and close, allowing air to leak out and act as if you’re quickly going back and forth between two notes. Your sax may produce a tone similar to a teenage boy whose voice is changing.
If you find yourself having to press certain keys harder than normal, then you likely have a leaky key pad.
How Do You Fix It?
If you’re new to playing the sax then it’s best to just take your sax into your local music shop and have a technician there pop out the old one and put a new one in.
In time you’ll probably be able to start replacing your own pads if you want to. Just be sure that you’re confident in your ability to identify which pads need to be replaced. All you need is a set of replacement pads and some strong adhesive…some smooth tipped plastic tweezers might also be helpful for maneuvering the pad into place.
Final Thoughts
I think that covers the bulk of the reasons you might squeak when you play…but I’m sure there are others that may be unique to you, your setup, and your saxophone.
I’ve said it in other articles, new players just need to be concerned with learning the fingerings, reading the notes, and getting a good and even sound out of their sax…nothing else matters until you get those things down.
So squeaking hinders your “good and even sound” and is quite frustrating for players both new and experienced. Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas on how to troubleshoot any squeaking you may experience. When in doubt, check the reed first. It’s the cheapest and easiest thing to replace!
